Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-02-22
AT DEATHS DOOR.

Sayings of Noted Persons Who We're Con
scious of Their Approaching End.
al am dying at the top" said Walter
Scott, conscious that his brilliant brair
was softening. Some wits have begul
to die at the lower extremities. Lore
Chesterfcld's brain did not share il
the decay of his body. He had arrivet
at such stage of decrepitude as to b,
unable to bear the rapid motion of ,
carriage. When taking an airing, hi
had TO be driven at snail's race. "a
am now going to the rehearsal of my
funeral, said the wit one day, as about
to enter his carriage. Fontenelle, an
aged Frcnchman, had lost his memory,
but his wit was so unimpaircd that he
made witticisms on his inlirmities. al
am about TO decamp," said he to q
friend, who asked after his health.
"Some faculties have left me, and ]
have sent my baggage on before.
When near one hundred years of age,
he met n lady almost rs old. "Mon-
sieur," said she, 81 believe Death has
forgotten us. "Hush, madamerr re-
piled the wit. "Don't talk so loud, or
you may arouse his attention.
The mother of Francis |. of France,
Louisa of Savoy, died through pride
and superstition. Her pride brooked
no contradiction. When the Constable
Bourbon declined the hand she offered
him, she conliscated his estates. While
sick with fever, she thought she saw
a comet, and exclaimed "Hal there
is an omen which appears not to per
sons of low degree. God sends for us
great Shut the windows; it announces
my death. must prepare. In vain
the physician assured her that she was
not in n dying state. She insisted that
she was; chad not the comet warned
her?" In three days she died.
Some persons have thought them
selves engaged in the business of life
when life itself was departing "But
it is dark; the boys may CO., were the
last words of DR.. Adam, the rector OF
the Edinburgh High School. Gentle
men of the jury. will you now consider
you verdict" said the dying Lord Ten
terden.
A woman who had been notorious
scandal-monger repeated, before she
died, every word she had heard against
anybody. In health her scandals had
been retailed in mysterious tones, but
while dying she became noisy, and
shouted out her malice.
There have been cases known where
persons, who should have lived, were
put to death by their friends telling
them that they could not get well. A
Scotch clergyman, on his way to visit
poor sick woman, met the parish sur
geon, and inquired after the patient.
1.-The room is full of friends, who
tell her she can't last long" replied
the doctor. ~ make no doubt she will
not, for she is sinking, because she
thinks she is dying. Yet | see no rea-
son why she should die, except the
talk Of her friends, and couldn't get
one of them to leave the ROOM
The clergyman entered the room,
and, his authority being respected,
soon cleared it of all in it, save one
person. He then told the woman what
the surgeon had said, that instead Of
dying. she would get we'll. Starting
up in bed. she exclaimed. with en-
ergy:
"What! Am not dyingP Shan't
dieP Then, thank the Lord, sham
dier'
She recovered, and thanked the cler-
gyman for clearing the room of "thc
birds of ill-omen. y Youths C0mDan-
ion